Automobile-axle.



L. B. SHARP.

AUTOMOBILE AXLE. APPLICATION FILED 0017,1910.

1,001,697,v Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

. 4 "IIIIIIIII'I.J?DSI z??? By yg ATTORNEY nnwrsnsrmnr, or EAR BOCKAWAY, New YORK.

AUTOMOBILE-AXLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 191 1.

Application filed October '7, 1910. Serial 0,585,784.

To all whom it ma'y concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs B. SHARP, a

citizen of the United. States, residing at Far Rockaway, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutombileAxles, of which the following is a specification. I I

This invention relates to automobile axles known as the full Efioating type, in which there is a fixed outer housing having the differential and drive at the center, with wheels at each end mounted on the fixed housing or casing,- therebeing a driving shaft or axle in two parts'extending from the differential on each side throughthe casing and engaging the outer end of the hub of the wheel by means of a spider fixed to the end of the shaft. Heretofore it has been the practice to secure thiS'aspider and driving shaft'in posi tion by means .of a hub cap which covered the spider and held it and the tent, this means of securing the parts-in posi-- tion has been found unsatisfactory and unreliable because ofthe difficulty in keeping the hub cap in position, and many accidents and much inconvenience have resulted from the hub cap being displaced, due to constant vibration, the spider and-'one-half of "the rear axle falling away, thus disarranging the driving mechanism ofthe car;

My invention relatesto a simple and cheap means for securing the spider and axle in position, even though the hub cap 'should become displaced, said means being independent of the cap.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elev a. tion of my improvement applied to one end of a full floating rear axle, with the hub of a wheel thereon, the hub cap being partly broken away. Fig; 2' is a longitudinal sec-' tion of the structure shown in Fig. 1 taken on the line 2-2 of that figure. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of v.Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings,.the

numeral 1 designates the hub of the wheel 'of the axle. The spider 4 has projections -5 which interlock with oppositely disposed projections 6 formed on the hub 1. groove 7 is formedin the surfaceof the interlocking projections 5 and 6, and-a split ring 8-, formed of any suitable material, rests in this groove,and.eifectively holds the in-' reason, the spider-4 should become displaced,

theapplication of power is impossible, and

the member 3 may readily fallout of the housing and .becdme lost-or damaged,

The operation of my device is obvious from the foregoing description. driving shaft. in position. Although in use'to a large ex It will be observed that the ring 8 prevents longitudinal movement of the spider member 4 with. respect to the hub and the I To attain this a.

projections 6 thereon. radial surface on the member 4 lies on one 'sideof the ring and a radial surface on the .hublies on the other side thereof but ofi'set with respect to the said hub surface. Otherwise stated the locking ring or member 8 lies between a radial surface on the spider 4 and a radial sujrface on'the hub and bears upon them alternately at succeeding points of its lengthso as to prevent the longitudinal displacement of the hub and spider with respect to each other..

While I have described only one embodiment of my invention, I am aware thatjections at one end with a spider at the same end of the hub and having projections interlocking with the projections'ofthe hub, and a circular groove formed in the :outer sur before described.

face of said interlocking projections, and a split ring resting therein, for the purpose hereinbefore described.

3. The combination ofa hiib having projections at one end with a spider at the same end of the hub and having projections interlocking With the projections of the hub, and a circular groove formed in the outer surface of said interlocking projections, and ameniber resting therein, for the purpose herein- 4. The combination with a Wheel hub, of a tubular journal for said hub, a drive shaft Copies of this patent may be obtained for passed through said tubular journal, a spider 'member on said shaft, said spider member and said hub being provided with complemental interlocking portions, anfexterna'l locking member engaging said interlocking portions to. retain said spider in position, and a hub cap inclosing said spider and said locking member.

LEWIS B. SHARP. Witnesses WALTER S. JONES, JOHN W. PETERS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

